A Whole New World
by Bibliophile224
Summary: SPOILERS! Alternate ending to TSFT...Gemma continues life at Spence, and there are no racial barriers.It's like everyone has always been equal. When her father decides it's time for her to marry, will she agree? G/K PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, they belong to Libba Bray. This fanfic is similar to my other story "A New Beginning", and ends the same, but getting to that ending is slightly different. Hope you enjoy!**

**Gemma POV**

After three days of crying in bed, I decided that I could not spend my life locked away, no matter how tempting it was.

I had to accept that, however painful, Kartik was gone. I would never hold him, kiss him, run my fingers through his hair or listen to his strong, steady heartbeat. I would never see him smile or look into his beautiful chocolate eyes. Never again would I hear is strong laugh made everything seem like it was going to be okay. The strong arms that kept me safe were no longer there, and the loving voice that whispered reassurance in my ear was forever gone. I was alone.

Not totally alone, I still had Felicity, Ann, my brother, father and grandmother…but life did not feel complete or right without someone special to share it with. These past few days, all I have been thinking about is what our love was like, and what it could have been. We could have fought society's norms, had children of our own, and grown old all with the security of knowing that we would never be without each other.

But now that dream was only that, a dream. A dream that I needed to wake up from. He would not want me to lie here, reminiscing about what we could have had and now never would have. He would want me to be strong, and I was not going to disappoint. I knew I would never, ever love another the way I loved Kartik, but for him, I would try to be happy – no, happiness was not likely. Content was much more realistic, and even that would be a stretch.

I would do as my father wanted, no matter what that was. It did not matter. If that meant getting married, I would try to be content, and to endure being with someone else who I could never truly love.

That counted as trying, right?

_Meanwhile… _

**Kartik POV**

I had heard her crying, even from the realms, and it had broken my heart. I wanted to jump out of this incarceration and run to her, but the tree had brought me into itself. I could feel the wind blowing my – _it's_ branches, the soil around the roots and through the bark itself I could see the animals that had fought and died on the plains here around me and this tree that was my prison.

I could sense a presence coming toward me. No animal had ventured close to me, being able to feel that this was no ordinary tree. I was surprised at who it was that came toward us, the tree and I.

I could see my brother standing over me, his eyes hooded under the dark sky. He now looked exactly as he did before that fateful day last June. The brother that I had known and loved was back, and now we were being separated again.

He kneeled down in front of me and placed his hand on the nearest tree root, closing his eyes. Suddenly, a great gust of wind came, and with it I felt myself fall forward, out of the tree and landed on my hands and knees on the ground. I looked around me in wonder, and then turned my gaze to Amar, a sad smile on his face. I leaned forward and grasped him in a tight hug, and held onto him for a few moments, tears streaming from my eyes. When we parted, I was not the only one crying. Abruptly, the roots and branches that had held me so tightly now latched onto him, and I then understood what had happened.

Just as I had sacrificed myself for Gemma, he had a deal of his own with the Winterlands. Just as quickly as I had gotten him back, I was now to lose him again, with no going back this time. This was the end. He looked at me with that same, sad smile.

"Go to her, brother." He said softly, and with a shuddering gasp, he was gone. Stolen by the Winterlands, forever bound here in this place of sadness.

But I was not. I gathered my strength and stood up, turning away from the tree and walking back in the direction of the garden.

When I walked into the garden, I saw the Gorgon and all the other creatures that had helped us win the battle standing together. They all looked up at me, unsurprised.

I walked away from them with a nod, going forward to the portal to my world. I was not ten paces from it when I heard the wind calling, swirling around me. _Wait, _it called. _You sacrificed your own life for the Priestess…for that, you shall be granted any wish your heart desires…Choose wisely, for the magic cannot and will not be undone…Make your choice._

This was simple and yet so impossible at the same time. There was only one thing that I craved above all else.

"I wish to be with Gemma, forever."


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is chapter two. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of this! This is just my alternate ending. Libba Bray owns the characters and story.  
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**Gemma POV, one month later**

So much has changed since we were last in the realms. The most pivotal would be how the English have finally accepted other races into society. Who would have thought that this would ever be possible? It was like magic; all of a sudden people of different skin colours were accepted, as if it had always been that way.

Felicity, Ann and I seemed to be the only ones who noticed anything. Could this be something to do with the Realms? If it is, why? As wonderful as it is that every race is being treated equally, what could the Realms' magic be doing interfering with our world? None of this makes sense to me. Ann and Felicity cannot make sense of it, either.

Now when we were invited to attend balls and parties, we conversed and danced with men of different colour and it has been bittersweet. On one hand, I have enjoyed speaking with other people than the "proper" English, speaking with people about India and other countries.

On the downside, it has only brought me pain because I know that, if this change had occurred six months ago, Kartik and I could have been together. We could have danced at grand balls instead of in the stables, strolled arm-and-arm in the park, and maybe gotten married and had children. Those thoughts of what could and should have been haunt me as I cried myself to sleep at night.

We still attend Spence Academy, which only brings back more memories,. Every where I go, I relive the time we were together. Our walks by the lake, midnight conversations in the chapel. The night that everything changed especially, everywhere I go. The main hall, the forest, just walking through the halls of this old building reminds me of what I lost.

Last night I was sitting in the parlour staring out the window when Father came in.

After dinner, I had gone up to bed early like every other night, and I had received a letter from my father.

_My darling Gemma,_

_I have wonderful news. I have found you a husband! I know you think that it is too soon to be thinking of marriage, but I want to see you happy and taken care of before I pass. Trust me, daughter, I have not chosen just any man for you. I told him about you Gemma, and he wants to marry you, even though he hasn't met you. He knows that we don't have a lot of money, but that is not concern to him, that has to tell you something, don't you think? I have checked with resources as well, and he has no records of arrests, gambling addictions, nothing! Perfectly clean! He just moved here from India, Gemma, I truly believe he is a good man, and you deserve that. He has a very profitable trading company, but does not have to travel himself, so you would have a stable home. Think about how wonderful it would be to return home to India, because I know that you miss it! Though it pains me to think of being so far from you, I think it would be best._

_Of course I will take your own opinion into account, Gemma. If you truly find that he makes you uncomfortable or afraid (which I do not believe you will), I will not force your hand. _

_I just want the best for you, my darling daughter._

_I will see you on Tuesday, June 3__rd__ at 11 o'clock. _

_Your loving Father_

As I first started reading it, I was disgusted. How could I marry a man I had never met? But I remembered the promise I had made to myself; that I would do as my father wished, no matter what. I would marry this man…whose name Father forgot to mention.

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**AN: Ok, I was not able to update yesterday because I was reading City of Glass, but tomorrow I will try to have another chapter up, because I this one isn't too exciting, more of an explanitory chapter for what will happen. This is only going to be a short story, and there won't be drama...**

**Hope you enjoyed it!  
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	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the book, they belong to Libba Bray. **

**Please review! I haven't gotten a single one, but people have added this to their favourite's and alerts, so obviously people at least like my story...**

**Enjoy

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Now I sat in my room in my new lavender dress that Father had got for me for this particular occasion. Looking into the mirror now, I could not see the girl who had defeated the Winterlands. I saw a beautiful young woman riddled with grief and sadness. I never thought I would fall in love and then lose that love before it could be truly experienced. I never felt beautiful before, but now my features have changed just so that I can be considered more than pretty. I can only guess as to why this change has occurred. Perhaps it is the Temple magic within me, or maybe just growing up. With growing up comes marriage, though.

Can I do this? It feels like I was betraying Kartik. But he was gone, and I had to accept that. I thought I had, but…how do you move on from losing so much? How can I love another man?

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, and Brigid poked her head in the room. "Miss, your father and a young man are here to see you." Without a word I stood up and walked past her out the door. I walked through the halls, down the main staircase and Brigid led me through the main hall to a room off the side. It was a small parlour I had never been in before, and now it would be the room I met my potential fiancé.

I took a deep breath and had one more thought of _I love you, Kartik. Forever._ With that, I opened the door.

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"Gemma, come in. Come and meet Mr. Brown," Father said and shot me a hopeful smile, reminding me to give this man a chance. Mrs. Nightwing was there as well, and shot me a reassuring glance. I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.

I had avoided looking toward the man standing next to my father, but I knew that his back had been to me, and that he had turned around when my father called to me. I looked up into the face of my potential fiancée, and gasped.

It was him. It was his forehead, his nose, his cheeks, his mouth, his chin, his thick, dark, curly hair. I absorbed all this, took in every detail of his dark, beautiful skin before finally looking into those eyes. I knew that his wide, chocolate brown eyes would be the final factor in convincing me that it was really him, not some look alike.

I lifted my eyes and looked into his, and I knew it was him. My Kartik. Love shown through his eyes as we gazed at each other, and I was sure the same emotion and more radiated from my own as we silently communicated our love. So much was said: _I love you. I have missed you. I need you. My heart is yours, forever._

I had forgotten that Mrs. Nightwing and my father were in the room as Kartik and I were frozen, staring at each other. He cleared his throat awkwardly, and I reluctantly ripped my eyes away from my love, fearful that he would disappear, and looked at Father. Though clearly feeling like he was intruding on a private moment (which he was), he looked so hopeful that we were obviously fascinated with each other. My headmistress winked at me. Winked!

"I believe I shall leave you two to talk," she said and started to back out of the room. "I shall be outside…so behave!" She shot Kartik a warning look that clearly said _don't try something, _gave me a small smile, and was gone.

Moments after he closed the door behind him, Kartik and I rushed at each other. I jumped into his open arms and clung to him, and he pulled me close, breathing in the scent of my hair. We stayed like that for a few moments, the tears slowly flowing down my cheeks. After months of devastation and loneliness, these were finally happy tears.

He pulled me over to the loveseat and sat me down in his lap, keeping me as close as possible. I felt him lightly kissing my hair and temples, and I finally pulled back to look at him, wiping away his own tears. I softly stroked his face, and he opened his mouth to speak.

"Gemma," he whispered. He kissed the tip of my nose, and continued. "I never said it to you before, but I love you so very much." I cried harder, finally having heard the words I thought I never would, not from him.

"I love you, too. These past few months…they have been torture. I thought you were dead! I thought I would never see you again, and yet here you are! How is this possible?" Not that I really cared. It did not matter; he was here now.

"The time apart has been killing me too, love. I thought I was going to die, but Amar saved me. He sacrificed himself and took my place, because he saw how happy I was with you, and how much I love you.

"The Realms offered me one gift, and I chose to be with you. The magic changed the way other races are treated and are now accepted. This is how we are able to be together while being ourselves. We can actually get married and have children without taking you away from your family. We can be together."

The realization that he was right finally hit me full force. Those four words – _we can be together_ – made everything that we have been through in this past year worth it. It was worth every tear, injury, pain and challenge. Not to say that I think that people dying was worth it, because of course I wish that could have been avoided, for them and their families, including my own. Mother, Amar, Pippa, and Ms McCleethy – they all deserved to live, and I wish they could have.

What I mean is, despite everything that has happened, this adventure, challenge, quest – whatever you want to call it – has a happy ending. Kartik and I – one of the oddest and unlikely pairs ever – were going to grow old together.

I said nothing, only buried my face in his neck as he held me tightly. For several minutes, neither of us said anything, just holding each other. Finally, I lifted my head. I could hear our two "chaperones" – failing at their job of watching us – getting restless and talking quietly. I knew it was only a matter of moments before my father's patience was up and he barged in here to make sure nothing was happening to me. I climbed out of Kartik's lap and settled myself a reasonable distance away from him. He looked confused, but I nodded toward the door. A look of understanding crossed his face, and he smiled at me before taking my hand in his.

At that moment, my father and headmistress walked back through the door, clearly relieved to see us sitting properly distanced. My father was the first to break the awkward silence that followed.

"So, when shall we plan the wedding?"

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